Colorblock Bias Blanket

Whenever I am faced with a pile of undeniably beautiful yarn, I turn to an old-friend-of-a-project, the Colorblock Bias Blanket. It is a project that never grows old; it soothes your knitting soul when you’re stumped by a contiguous sleeve or bogged down by too many bobbles; it inspires combinations of color and texture that never before seemed possible; and like all of my most treasured things, this pattern was handed down to me by my dear Aunt Julie.

Julie’s wild sense of color and unique personal style constantly inspire me to freely experiment with textures and values and tones. So recently, when I found myself strolling the aisles of Purl Soho with seven skeins in a vice-grip-like hug, realizing I couldn’t let a single skein go, I knew exactly how I could pull them all together.

I knit my Colorblock Bias Blanket in simple garter stitch, using three different hand-dyed, DK-weight yarns in a spectrum of seven amazing colors. Starting with pops of peach, I used Koigu’s crisp and lively Kersti Merino Crepe. Then to contrast with the smooth consistency of the Kersti, I moved on to Madelinetosh’s Tosh Merino DK, a single ply yarn that quietly shifts from thick to thin. Next I used Anzula’s luxurious Cricket , a blend of superwash merino, cashmere and a touch of nylon. Its machine-spun quality and soft, sandy colors add elegance and subtlety. And finally, I finished the blanket with two more skeins of quirky Tosh Merino DK.

The whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts (thank you, Aristotle). Each of these yarns has its own special personality, but together, they create a rich and complex fabric. You can create your own beautiful blanket with Purl Soho’s Colorblock Bias Blanket Bundle. Choose from three lovely colorways: this toasty Peach, cool Mint or burst-of-yellow Lemon! -Laura

Update: New Size

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

It’s become clear that for some of you bigger IS better! And so, I am thrilled to introduce the Rectangular Colorblock Bias Blanket: our beloved square Colorblock Bias Blanket stretched and extended into an adult-size rectangle! -Laura

Gauge

Size

To modify the finished size: This blanket is knit on the bias, from corner to corner. Using the entirety of each skein, you increase every other row for the first half of your total yardage and decrease every other row for the second half. If you’d like to change the size of this blanket, add up the total yardage of your yarn and divide it by two. Following the spirit of the Increase section, work half (or a little less, to be on the safe side) of your total yardage. Then continue to the section titled DECREASE, and using the second half of your yardage, follow the remainder of the pattern.

Pattern

Prepare for Tassels (Optional)

From your wound ball of Color A, wind a second smaller ball of approximately 30 yards and set aside. Repeat with Color G.

Begin Blanket and Increase

With Color A, cast on 5 stitches, leaving a 15-inch tail (which you will use later to secure the tassel).

Row 1 (wrong side): P2, knit to last two stitches, p2.

Row 2 (right side): K2, make 1 left (m1L), knit to last two stitches, make 1 right (m1R), k2. [2 stitches increased]

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color B, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color C, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color D, work Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

Decrease

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color F, repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have used the entire skein, ending with a wrong side row.

With Color G, repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 5 stitches remain, ending with a right side row.

Bind off in pattern on wrong side. Cut yarn, leaving a 15-inch tail.

Make Tassels

For full instruction on how to make a tassel, please see our Tassel Tutorial.

The tassels for the Colorblock Bias Blanket are 6 1/2 inches long and to make them I used a 7-inch long piece of cardboard. I wrapped the cardboard approximately 60 times, using almost all of the 30 yards that I had set aside at the beginning of the project.

Make one tassel using Color A. Make a second tassel using Color G.

Attach the Tassels

Thread one of the two tails from the top of the tassel onto a tapestry needle. Weave the tail along one edge of the blanket. Repeat with the second tail, weaving it along the other edge of the blanket.

Thread the cast on (or bind off) tail from the blanket onto a tapestry needle. Bring the needle through the head of the tassel, then draw the needle through the cast on (or bind off) edge from back to front. Pull taut.

Tightly wrap the tail a few times around the place where the tip of the blanket meets the top of the tassel.

Bring the tapestry needle through the wraps and down the center of tassel. Remove the tapestry needle and trim the tail to match the length of the tassel.

354 Responses to Colorblock Bias Blanket

Hello there! I would also like to request photos of both the square and rectangular sizes of this marvelous pattern.
Also, you had mentioned that the kits have been discontinued. Is it possible to order these yarns from you online?
Thanks so very much,
Martha

Thanks for writing in! I have sent along the photos that you requested to your email address!

For the square Colorblock Bias Blanket, a number of the yarns have been discontinued (Madeline Tosh Tosh DK is no longer made). You could certainly use all Anzula Cricket and Kersti, plugging in for the missing Tosh colors. For the rectangular version, a number of the colors in the original blue version have been retired and are not available. We do have a variety of other bundles for this lovely blanket that are available. If you have questions about a color arrangement, we would be happy to help!

Thanks for writing in! You can certainly make this lovely blanket without the tassels! I made one myself and did not alter the corners at all. I found that once the blanket was complete, the slight difference in the corners was barely noticeable. That said, if you would like them slightly more rounded, the best way to do so is to use the tails from casting on or binding off to sew them into a bit more of a rounded shape!

Hello Tracey,
Thank you for reaching out! For the peach color way I would suggest looking at Manos Silk Blend Semi Solid and Multi yarn to substitute Tosh DK. The Manos Silk Blendcomes in 50 gram skeins so you might need two each of them, though I would not get them wound just in case you need to return them within 6 months for store credit.
I would suggest the colors “Natural” as a substitute for “Paper”, “Black” as a substitute for “Charcoal”, and “Dove” as a substitute for “Calligraphy”.

Thanks for writing in! This blanket can work well for a lovely throw on your couch or as a baby blanket! We do not have an alternate version specifically for babies but this one is quite a good size. You may want to choose to leave the tassels off if you are giving it to a little one!

Hello. I was hoping you could share the dimensions/diagram of this baby blanket as you did for the larger version. I’m substituting some of the yarn and trying to figure out how wide each section/color should be. Thank you!

Thanks for writing in! We have measured the stripes and I will include the measurements below. Just a note… the width of each stripe is the based on the size of each skein. Even if you use the very same yarn that we used here, the width of your stripes may vary based on your personal gauge. Tighter knitters will see thinner stripes using the whole skein and looser knitters will see wider stripes. However both knitters should create blanket of similar proportions. The beauty of this blanket is in the variance in width so let your creativity fly!

That said, the approximate measurements of the stripes are, from peach across to gray: 8″, 4″, 6.5″, 6″, 6″, 6.5″, 11.5″

Thanks for writing back! We are happy to help with a colorway! I would suggest Kogiu Kersti 2121, Kogiu Kersti either 1143 or 1153, Anzula Cricket Au Natural, Anzula Cricket Seaside, Anzula Cricket Gravity, Anzula Cricket Elephant and 2 skeins of Koigu Kersti 2403. I think that this will make a lovely blanket!

Thanks for writing in! I am happy to help! Sadly Tosh DK has been discontinued by MadelineTosh. We are happy to help with replacing them! For the peach bundle, I would suggest Kogiu Kersti 1111.5, Kogiu Kersti 1133, Anzula Cricket Au Natural, Anzula Cricket Seaside, Anzula Cricket Gravity, Anzula Cricket Elephant and 2 skeins of Koigu Kersti 2403. I think that this will make the blanket as close as possible to the original!

Mine is a question and not comment. Love this pattern but haven’t started it yet since my daughter hasn’t picked out colors yet. I would like it if you could tell me how to do the “M1L” and “M1R”–it is the increase? Please share the instruction with me. thank you

Thanks for writing in! Row 1 is a bit confusing at first – you only have 5 stitches on your needle, so you will purl 2, then only knit 1 stitch, and you will already be at the last two stitches of the row, and will purl those 2. Since you add stitches on Row 2 and then repeat Rows 1 and 2 for quite some time, each time you work Row 1 you will have more stitches to knit in the middle before you get to the last two stitches.

Hello Cherie,
Thank you for reaching out and your kind words! I would recommend hand washing this blanket, unless you did the whole thing in Anzula’s Cricket because this yarn is Super-wash.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla

Hi, I’m working through this pattern and am about halfway. There are 7 skeins but I am to start reducing after colour D (4th skein). Leaving only 3 skeins to reduce. This means I’ll be left with more reducing to get to the end corner. Should there be 8 skeins? Thanks

Hello Michelle,
Thank you for reaching out! Are you using the the yarns that we list as the recommended yarns? If so, Yarns A and B are both 50 grams skeins rather than 100 grams so they each have half the yarn quantity of the rest of the yarns- so no need to worry! 🙂
Warmly,
Marilla

I am interested in making the colorblock bias blanket for my granddaughters. One is 3 and one is two and they are a bit larger/taller than other kids their age, so I was thinking child size rather than baby blanket. The blankets would have to be washable, because my daughter and daughter in law will never hand wash a blanket with working full time and running back an forth to day care, so I see you suggest the Anzula’s cricket yarn. I am hopeless at picking out colors. Do you have suggestions for me? Also how do I order the yarn and about how much will it cost? I will also need the knitting needles. I do hope this is not a hard project for someone whose knitting skills are fairly simple. I am excited, but a little nervous about trying this.

Hello Robin,
Thank you for reaching out! This blanket is 33″x33″ which is a pretty standard baby blanket size. If you are interested in making this blanket larger you would just add more increase and decrease rows which will make both the width and the length larger. The other option is to make our Rectangular Bias Blanket which is a larger version of the same blanket, though the yarns used are hand wash the pattern might give you some inspiration for your version of our blanket.
As far as yarns go Cricket is a washable yarn so I think it could be a great options for you. Are there particular colors that your grand children are fond of? I think the for this blanket it is nice to start with a pop of color and then go into some more neutral options.
In terms of cost, because You will need to add some skeins to make this blanket larger as the original uses up all the skeins listed, if you add two skeins to the original 7 making a total of 9 Cricket skeins . This will come to $310.50.
Because you are knitting a blanket you will need circular knitting needles to accommodate the width of your blanket. We recommend US 6, 32-inch circular needle.
To Order your yarn, you will just need to select your colors, put them in your shopping basket and proceed to checkout.
I hope this answers some of your questions and let us know if we can further clarify anything for you!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla

I love this pattern and have made two blankets so far. I just started a third. I’ve found that the final corner always ends up stretched out because the weight of the blanket pulls the knitting down. Blocking and adding a border helps, but I’m wondering if you have any tips to avoid this. Thanks!

Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately this can happen with any large, heavy project, especially when you end up with only a few stitches on the needle as you do in this blanket. The only real remedy would be to make sure the weight of the blanket is well supported on your lap and chair and keep the knitting needles as close to the blanket as possible while working the final corner so that most of the weight is on your lap, rather than hanging off your needles.

Thank you for this pattern. I have had one new grand-baby each year for the last five years and am working on my fourth color bias blanket as requested by the mommas. Now they want me to knit up ones for themselves as throws. Puff , puff ! It’s a commitment of time and resources but loved by the women in this family .

Hi There! I am finishing off this blanket but making it more as a mother’s shawl/baby wrap, so it’s triangular. Has anyone out there done this, too? What bind-off would you recommend to convert this into a pattern?

Thanks so much for the kind words! All of our website content is available without signing up or logging in, so feel free to browse as you wish! Our patterns and project ideas can be found by clicking “Create” in the upper left corner, and our online store can be found by clicking “Shop.” I hope you enjoy and find some crafting inspiration!

Thanks for reaching out! When working M1L and M1R increases, the added stitches appear on the side of the previous or following stitch, so the two stitch border creates an uninterrupted line. When decreasing, however, the decreases create a line that becomes part of the border, so working only one stitch before and after looks very similar to working two stitches before and after increases.

Morning
I am working on your beautiful color bias blanket . Would you please share the dimensions of each of the color blocks . I had the change some of the yarns and are not sure what these blocks should measure. Also the over all demension of this adult blank should be ?
Thank you

Thanks for reaching out! While we don’t have exact measurements of the color blocks in the blanket, since it can vary based on the yardage of the yarns you select, our total blanket size was 33 by 33 inches square. If you want to maximize the size of the blanket with the yarns you have picked you, you will simply need to add up all the yardage of your yarns and work the increase section of the blanket until you have used up a little less than half of your total yardage. You should then have plenty of yarn to work the decrease section.

Hi there, love the pattern, but I’m having issues with edges. One side looks nice and clean and the other is sloppy and twisted. I’ve started and restarted 4 times making sure to pull everything tight so it’s not too loose, but I’m getting everything twisted! I’m so frustrated. So other people have the same issue ever?

Thanks for writing in, and I’m sorry to hear you are having trouble with your edges! We haven’t had any reports of this issue before, so I would suggest reviewing our tutorial on M1R and M1L to make sure you are working both increases correctly – since only one edge is turning out messy, I suspect you may be working either M1R or M1L incorrectly.

Thanks for reaching out! Since the increases blend into the garter stitch body of the blanket, rather than the stockinette border, they are angled inward toward the center of the blanket. We do still carry Koigu Kersti and Anzula Cricket, although we no longer carry Madeline Tosh Merino DK. I would suggest substituting either Flax Down or Cashmere Merino Bloom in its place. For a pink toned version of the blanket, you could try the following colors:

I am interested in making the Colorblock Bias Blanket. I understand that the peach bundle is ‘currently out if stock’. I tried to order the yarns individually from your website, but found that most (if not all) the yarns/colors were unavailable, My questions are: do you anticipate that the bundle or the individual yarns will be available in the near future? If not, can you help me make some substitutions?

Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we no longer carry Madeline Tosh DK so we will not be restocking the original bundle – I’m so sorry about that! I would suggest substituting either Flax Down or Cashmere Merino Bloom in its place. You can still use the original peachy Kersti colors, and a full bundle would be:

Do you have a copy of the previous pattern that was posted a year ago? It takes me a while to complete these blankets and I had started on the old pattern – I’m now where I need to decrease for the final corner but am confused on where I’m at with the new pattern. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks for reaching out! We actually haven’t made any changes to this pattern since it was released. Is it possible that you started with our Rectangular Colorblock Bias Blanket pattern instead? It starts very similarly but, since it is a rectangle instead of a square, has a different middle and end.

Hi,
I am interested in making this blanket for my “soon to arrive baby”. I was wondering if I can use the Worsted cotton yarn (https://www.purlsoho.com/worsted-cotton.html) instead of the suggested yarn in the pattern. If so, how many yards of each color would I need (I am thinking 7 colors) and what needle size will be good? Should I knit with yarn singled or doubled? Also, can you send a full picture of this blanket to my email.

Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we don’t have a picture of this blanket laid out flat, but I think your plan sounds wonderful! This blanket is very easy to adapt for different weight yarns, so I would recommend using Blue Sky Worsted Cotton held single on a US 9 needle and following the pattern as written. You will need to work the “Begin Blanket and Increase” instructions until you are halfway through your yarn, so if you go with 7 colors, you will need to weigh your fourth ball of yarn as you knit and switch to the “Decrease” instructions when you have 50 grams left.

I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna

Thanks for reaching out! Because this blanket is knit on a diagonal, you will reach the “widest” part of your project at the end of the increase section. Although I don’t have a specific stitch count, you should have around 250 or 350 stitches for the two sizes. Typically knitting needles can accommodate around 12-14 DK stitches per inch, so a 32 inch needle should be just fine for either of these stitch counts. If you are knitting the larger blanket and prefer a little more room on your needles, you may opt for a 40 inch circular needle! Something else to note is that the first two colorblocks are knit in Koigu Kersti which are much smaller skeins at 114 yards, so the first two stripes will be smaller. I hope this helps!

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